280 CHAMOIS HUNTING. 



noted poacher, and had already fired several times at 

 the keepers. He was the most desperate in the whole 

 country, and being well known as such they had often 

 tried to get hold of him, and bring him in dead or 

 alive. The young forester was quite alone, and stand- 

 ing just about where we are now, when he saw him 

 from afar coming up the path ; so he sat down and 

 waited for him. He knew the path would lead him 

 to yonder hillock, and presently sure enough he saw 

 his head appear, and then his shoulders, and then the 

 whole fellow. He was aiming at him all the while, 

 but it was not until the man had reached the top of 

 the rock, and stood before him at his full height, that 

 he fired. The ball hit him in the centre of his chest. 

 It was rather strange, but when struck the poacher 

 pulled open his shirt as if surprised, looked at the 

 shot- wound, and then falling forwards on his face 

 dropped down dead." 



From a sort of table-land below and in front of us, 

 where a group of figures was distinctly visible, rose 

 the sound of women's voices ; and all space was filled 

 with their carollings. A very flood of tones came 

 rolling to us in great waves of sound ; for the distance, 

 and may-be the soft air, blended them in harmony, 

 and made those loud and sudden gushes of song most 

 musical. We stopped and examined them with our 

 glasses. 



"Hang them!" said Neuner, while getting out his 

 telescope, "they are on the mountain shouting and 

 singing all day long !" 



